Electrically-operated track switch



April 20,1926. 1,581,609

S. S. STOLP ELECTRICALLY OPERATED TRACK SWITCH Fil'ed Dec. 12, 1923 Patented Apr. 20, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFIcE.

SAMUEL S. S'IOLIP, OIE MANSFIELD, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE OHIO BRASS COMPANY,

OF MANSFIELD, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.. I

ELEGTRICALLY-OPERA'I'ED TRACK SWITCH.

Application filed December 12, 1923. Serial No." 680,151.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL S. S'roLr, a

citizen of the United States 01 America,

particularly to that class of track switches which is electrically operated by the Opera tor of a moving vehicle.

an automatic electrically operated track switch system which works power on and power off the motors to operate the switch in the desired direction andprovided with means which will prevent the burning out of the operating coils it current is applied to the system beyond a predetermined time.

My invention resides in the new and novel combination and relation of circuits, solenoids. and electrically operated switches and other parts more fully hereinafter described and shown in the drawings.

In the drawings accompanying my specification:

Fig. 1 is aschematic drawing to be used in describingthe so-called power on and power 011' operation of the switch.

Fig, 2 is a schematic drawing of my invention showing the relation of the parts in a normal condition.

Fig. 8; is a schematicdrawing of my invention showing .the relation of the parts after current has been supplied to the system for a predetermined time with power off the motors.

Fig. 4 1s a schematic drawing showing the relationot parts immediately after the,

current has been supplied to thesystem with power on the motors.

Referring to Fig. 1, I have shown certain" car circuit and partswhich effect the operation of the system which has a current collector or trolley wheel W, a trolley pole T by means ot-which the 'current'collector is mounted upon the car or moving vehicle and C represents a controller for opening and closing a circuit tothe car motors M, the controller being operated by the opera tor. There are various auxiliary devices up on a car, as a rule, which receive current, such as heaters H, lights L and air compressor F, all circuitshaving a connection to the ground G. p The motors M' are under the control of the car operator, but the current flowing.

through the partsI-L'L and F is not under the control of the operator through the operation, of the controller 0. The current flowing through the parts H, L and F may amount to considerable and must therefore 2e taken into consideration in the'design of varlous parts herelnatter described. The

current flowing through the motors M is The object of my invention is to provide very large and this fact is'made use of in the operation of my invention such that when thiscurrent .is'flowing throughthe .motors due to the controller being closed and whichI will term the power on position, and if the collector IV is'in engage ment with a contact pan P, the switch tongue will be thrown to one position, usually the curve position, and if no current is flowingthrough the motors M due to the controller being open, and which position I will term the power off position, and

the collector EV is in engagement with the pan P the switch tongue will be thrown in the opposite direction, which I will term the straight ahead position.

R8IGI'11DQ to Fig; 2, I mount upon the- The contact members 2 and 3 are I ill) contact members 2 and 3 are electrically con- .nected and it the controller is set to the power on position current will be free to flow from the conductor 2 through the collector W, pole T, controller C, and motors M to ground, but it the conductor is set to the power oit position the contact mem bers 2 and Wlll be electrically connected,

but no current will flow trom 'the contactn'iember 2 through the motors M to ground,

but current may flow through the parts H, L

and F to ground. I-employ a track switch S which is provided with a switch tongue 4 operable to the straight ahead or curve? position. The switch is also provided with two solenoids 5 and 6 for operating the solenoid'is connected to the ground through the common conductor 8 and the plunger 7 is connected to the switch tongue 4 by the rod 9. i

I also employ a switch A, which I will term a selector switch, for the reason that its function is to positionits armature with respect to the conductors leading to the sole noids '5 an'd-fifor-proper directional operation of the tongue 4. The switch A is provided with a'coil 10, usually of large wire r and low resistance and few turns.

7 All current "for operating the system must flow through this co l and also the current for operating the motors when the collector engages thepan with power on. At the sametime the coil 10 must'be so proportioned that when the collector engages the pan P with power off the current flowing through the auxiliary car circuits will not operate the armature 11. The arm 11 is normally held downward by gravity or a spring, and is raised only when the coil 10 is sufficiently energized with power on. One terminal of the coil 10 is connected to the trolley conductor 1 by the conductor 12 and the other terminal is connected to the contact member 2 by the conductor 13. The switch arm 11 is connected to the contact member 3 by the conductor 14. The arm 11 engages the contacts 15'and 16. From the contact 15 a circuit leads to the remaining terminal of the solenoid 5 through the conductors 28 and 17, switch arm '18 and its contact 19. A circuit leads from the contact 16 to the remaining terminal of the solenoid 6 through the conductors 20, 21 and S0, switch arm 22, contact 23 and holding coil 31. The arms 18 and 22 normally main tain the circuits to the solenoids 5 and 6 closed. The arms are connected together by means 24 and the arms will operate to open and close substantially simultaneously.

The means 24 may be a bar of insulating material or it may be a spring insulated from the members 18 and 22 so as not to electrically connect them, or other suitable means. To control the arms 18 and 22 I employ a solenoid 25 which has one terminal connected to the arm 11 through the conductor 26 and has the other terminal connected to the trolley conductor 1 through the conductor'27. The coil 25 is-preterably composed of a large number of turns and high resistance to permit only a small. flow of cur rent. The coil 25, its armatures and other parts I will term the switch B; The coil 25 maintains the armatures 18 and 22 normally closed, but permits, the armatures to open the circuits which they control after a predetermined time after the collector has engaged the pan P. This action is brought about by the deenergization of the coil 25 through the fact that one terminal of the coil 25 is connected to the trolley conductor and the other terminal is likewise connected to the trolley conductor when the contact members 2 and 3 are bridged by the current collector and'atter de-energization the arms 1822 drop by gravity, Therefore, we have the trolley connected to both terminals of the coil 25 when the collector engages the pan P and, therefore, no current can" flow through the coil 25 and the armatures will bereleased. v V

As I desire the operating current to flow Y through the solenoids 5 and 61 for a suf- [icient time to energize-them I provide the switch B with a time lag which may consist of a copper or brass sleeve 32 which may also surround the coil B,' or adjust the relation of the armature 22 with respect to the core of the coil B in the way of clearance; or I may use a combination of the two or other means well known to the trade for effecting a time la in the dropping of the armature 22. It Wlll be noted that under normal conditions the coil '25 receives its energizing current from the trolley conductor 1 through the conductor 27 and that the other terminal is connected to the switch arm 11 and-that from the switch arm 11 a circuit leads to the ground through the solenoid 5' andthis provides a groundwherebyf the cireuit'i's completed normally through. the solenoid 25, but'when the switch arm "18 is open the connection to the ground is broken and the 'coil 25 cannot again be energized to pick'the'arm 22 up and hold it in a closed position unless some 'means is provided'for doing this. Therefore, from the ground side'of'the coil 25 I connect a high resistance R which leads to the conductor 30 and this resistance provides a ground for the coil 25 through the solenoid 6. It will-now be seen that if the ground connection'of the coil 25, through the switch arm 18, isbroken that the current can t-hen flow from the trolley conductor 1 'through the coil 25, the resistance R, the conductor '30. etc; to ground, thereby energizing the coil 25 and picking the armatures :upl 'It is evident that the combined resistance of the coil 25 and R must not be so great as to prevent a sufficient current flowing through the coil 25 when the arm 18 is open so that the ampere turns of the coil 25 will not be suflicient to energize the coil so asto attract the arm22. At the same time the resistance of the coil 25 and the resistance B should be suiiicient to cut the current flowing therethrough to a low value which is not suflicient to effect in any way the operation of the solenoids and '6. The current which is normally flowing through the coil 25 and resistance R, the latter being small as it is practically short circuited by .the circuit through solenoid 5 when the flowing through the coil '25 and resistance R,

which together with the switch A, are mounted in a control box which is usually mounted on a pole, will sufficiently warm the parts within the control box to prevent the formation of moisture therein.

In place of using the resistance R as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, it may be placed in shunt with "the switch arm 19 as designated by R in Fig. 4:- In this case it will be evident that-when the switch'B is open and the switch A has its armaturein engagement with the contact which would be the position of these parts after the collector has engaged the pan and passed oil of it providing the engagement of the collector with the pan is equal to or greater than the time lag of the switch B, that the resistance R will complete the groi'ind connection for the coil and the samewill then be energized and pick up the arms 18 and 22 thereby restoring the system to normal. It is also evident that when restored to normal the resistance R will be short circuited and-practically no current will flow therethrough.

WVhen the car operator desires to go straight ahead he will do so by setting his controller to power off and coast over the pan P. As soon as he engages the pan P current will flow through'the solenoid 5 by way of the conductor-s14, 28 and 17, the contacts 15 and 19 and the switch arms '11 and 18 thereby energizing the coil 5 and moving the tongue 4cto the position shown'in Fig. 3.

If he engages .the pan P longer than a predetermined time, as for lnstance, 1f he should for some reason stop with the collector in 5 ciently energized to move the arm 11 into engagement with the pan, the short circuiting of the coil 25, as already explained, will permit tliearms l8 and 22 to drop and there by open both branch circuits and prevent 3). hen the operator starts the car it will be necessary for him'to throw the controller 'to the power on position and this will cause the coil 10 of theswitch'lA to besufiiengagement with the contact 16, *but as the switch B is open no current can flow through the coil 31 and hence the switch will not be changed from the position intended. If the operator intends to take the curve he will throw his controller to power on position when engaging the contact pan with thecollector, and this will immediately energize the coil 10 of the switch A and move the arm 11 into engagement with the contactlfi and current will then flow through the solenoid 6 thereby energizing this solenoid and moving the switch tongue to the curve position, all parts takingthe position shown in Fig. 4. If for any reason he should :stop with his collector in engagement with the pan P, the-switch B will operate as heretofore explained, and open thecircuits thereby preventing the switch tongue being moved to the wrong position.

If the operatorishould pass overthe pan at a very high rate of speed with power on and should not engage the pan for the pre determined time, thecoil 31 will be energized as long as current is'flo-wing through the solenoid '6 and will continue to flow until the switch B opens as predetermined, the coil 31 be energized and the arm 11 drop.

The coil 31 also prevents a falseoperation of the system if the operator .intentionally engages the pan with spower=on.and before leaving the pan should turn his controller to power off, as under such operation the arm would immediately drop and .ithrow :the

switch tongue to the power ofi' position were it not forthecoil3l.

There are modifications and re-arrangements of the circuit which may be made to the system iherein disclosed, lbllt which will still produce systems within the scope of my invention and therefore, I do not wish to be limited other than by my claims.

I claim: i 1. A switch ioperating system comprising in combination a trolley conductor, a apanfP having two contact members to be engaged by a current collector, an electrically operated trackswitch Siadaptedto be moved to a predetermined position when the collector engages the pan with powerton or power offjia selector switch for controlling the ositioning of the track switch by connecting one or the other of two branchicircuits to the tracleswitoh, a circuit connecting one contact .member with the selector switch, .an operating'coil 10'forthesw-itch A connected to tact member and adapted to be energized =sulliciently to operate the switch A with the burning out of the solenoid 5 (see Fig.

po-weron only,a switch B controlling the .120 the-trolley conductorand to the otherconto re-energizer the coil upon thecollector be normally energized, butto be de-energized when the collector engages the pan, means operating toreestablish the energization of the coil after the collector leaves the pan and a holding coil 3l'to maintain the switch A in its power on position until theswitch B has opened.

2. A switch operatingsystem comprising in combination, a trolley conductor, a pan P having two contact members to be engaged by a current collector, an electrically operated track switch .8 adapted to be moved to a predetermined position when the collector engages the pan with power on or power off, a selector switch for controlling the positioning of the track switch by connecting one or tlie other of two branch circuits of a power circuit to the track switch, a circuit connecting one contact member with the selector switch, an operating coil 10' for the switch A connected to the trolley conductor and to the other contact member and adapted to be energized sufficiently to operate the switch A with power on only, a switch B controlling the individual branch circuits and positioned therein and holding the branch circuits normally: closed and operating toopen the same after a predetermined time after the collector engages the pan and to remain open while the collector engages the pan, an operating coil 25 for the switch B adapted to be normally energized to hold the switch B closed, but to be de energized when and-remain de-energized while the collector engages the pan and means operating 1 leaving the pan to reclose the switch B.

3. A switch. operating system comprising in combination, a trolley conductor, apan P having two contact members to be engaged by a current collector, an" electrically operated track switch S adapted to be moved to a predetermined position when the collector engages the pan with power-ion or power ofl,'a selector switch for controlling, the positioning of the track switchby .connecting one or the other of two branch cir-' cuits of a power circuit to the track switch, a circuit connecting one contact member. with the selector switch, an operating coil 10 for the switchA connected to the trolley. conductor and to the other contact member and adapted to be energized sufiiciently to operate the switch A with -"power,,on:'only, a switch B- controlling the individual branch i circuits and positioned therein and. holding the branch circuits normally closed and opcrating to open the same after a predetermined time after the-collector engagesthe pan and-to remain-open while the collector engages the pan, an operating coil 25 for the switch-B adapted to be normally energizedi to hold: the switch B closed, but to be deenergized when; :and remainde-energized;

" while the collector engages the pan by shortcircuitingthe coil 25 to open and maintain open the switch B and means to reestablish the energization of the coil 25 upon the collcetor leaving the pan to rc-close the switch.

-- 4. A switch operating system comprising a trolley conductor, a pair of contact members to be engaged by a current collector, one contact member being connected to the trolley conductor, an electrically operated track switch, a branched circuit leading from the other contact member to the track switch and electrically operated means positioned in the branches of the branched circuit to normally close the branch circuits and means to deenergize the electrically operated means after the collector has engaged power, the said means and the track switch,

and an electrically operated switch positioned in the branch circuits to control each of the branch circuits leading to'the track switch to open or close the branch circuits simultaneously, the operating mechanism of the electrically operated switch being connected to the, conductor and to one of the contact members and means comprising a h gh resistance circuit to temporarily reenergize theoperating mechanism to re-close,

the electrically operated switch. f

6; lAswitch" operating system comprising incomblnation, a trolley conductor, an-elec- 'trically operatedjtrack switch, a branched circuit to the track switch, currentcontrolling means operated automatically from a car to control said circuit for transmitting current from the conductor to the track switch to operate it in the desired direction, and electrically operated means operated automaticallyby the current collector to first open the branch circuits by the collector short circuiting the velectrically operated means and to-later-close them when the short circuit is removed. v

Y ,7. In a switch. operatin' system the combination of, a trolley con uctor, a pan to be engaged by a current collector, an electrically operated track switch, a branchedcircuit leading to the track switch, a selector switch to control-the branched circuit, switches in the branches to open and close same, an operatingcoil to control theiswitches, one coil terminal deriving current from the conductor and the other terminal having a circuit leading to the ground to close the switch and maintain it closed, the said circuit opened by one of the switches in the b 'anch circuits when the collector engages the pan.

8. In a switch operating system the combination of, a trolley conductor, a pan to be engaged by a current collector, an electrically operated track switch, a branched circuit leading to the track switch, a selector switch to control the branched circuit, switches in the branches to open and close same, an operating coil to control the switches, one coil terminal deriving current from the conductor and the other terminal having a circuit leading to the ground and opened by one of the switches in the branch circuits when the collector engages the pan and means connected to the last said coil terminal and to the ground to cooperate with the coil to close said opened switch.

9. Ina mechanism of the class described, the combination of an electrically operated track switch, a trolley conductor, a contact pan to be engaged by a current collector, a branched circuit deriving current from the conductor and leading to the track switch and an electrically operated switch to control the opening and the closing oi the branch circuits and electrical means to control the opening and closing of the last said switch comprising a coil to beshort circuited by the current collector to ole-energize the coil and thereby to open the switch and a grounded circuit including a resistance eX- ternal to the coil and connected thereto to re-establish the energization of the coil to close the switch.

10. In a switch operating system the combination of, a trolley conductor, a contact pan to be engaged by a current collector, an electrically operated track switch, electrically operated means to control the positioning of the track switch, circuits connecting the aforesaid elements such that thesystem works power onor power oil the motors to position the track switch as desired, means to prevent the burning out of the track switch operating means if the collector stands too long in engagement with the pan comprising a normally closed switch to control the circuits leading to the track switch and arranged to open after a predetermined time and remain open while the collector engages the pan and'means adapted to reestablish the normal closed position of the said normally closed switch comprising a resistance across the terminals of the normally closed switch and which becomes operative when the switch is open and the collector is out of engagement with the pan.

11. In a switch operating system the combination of, a trolley conductor, a pan connected to the trolley conductor, a selector switch having a switch arm, a conductor connecting the switch arm to the pan and to be connected to the trolley conductor by a current collector, a track switch mechanism, circuits to the track switch and separately energized by the switch arm, means to position the switch arm at will of a car operator, a switch having switch arms controlling each of the circuits to the track switch to place each circuit in an open or closed condition simultaneously, means controlled by the collector engaging the pan to open the last said switch after a predetermined time if the collector still engages the pan and means to close the said switch after the collector leaves the pan.

12. A switch system comprising a conductor, a pair of contact members to be engaged by a current collector, one contact member being connected to the trolley conductor, an electricallyoperated track switch, a circuit leading from the other contact member to the track switch, aswitch arm normally closing the said circuit, electrically controlled means to operate the switch arm and having a coil deriving current from the trolley conductor and arranged to be short circuited by'the collector engaging the contact member to open the switch arm, a circuit connecting the coil with the trolley conductor and the ground and opened and closed by the switch arm and means comprising a high resistance circuit connecting the coil to ground to re-establish the circuit through the coil to close the switch arm after the collector leaves the contact members.

13. A switch operating system comprising in combination, a trolley conductor, an electrically operated track branched circuit to the track switch, circuit controlling means operated automatically from a car to control said circuit for transmitting current from the conductor to the track switch to operate it in the desired direction and electrically operated means operated automatically to first open the branch circuits and to later close them, the electrically operated means comprising switch arms and a coil to operate the same to closed position when energized, the coil connected to the trolley conductor and to ground and said connection, opened and closed by the switch arm, the coil arranged to be short circuited by the collector engaging the contact members to deprive the coil of current and a high resistance path in parallel with the switch arm to re-establish the en-ergization ot the coil when the collector leaves the contact member and the switch arms are open in order to close the switch arms and return the system to normal.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature.

switch, a 

